#i AM the thrift store knick-knack aisle

[sparkle-fiend]

Steve loves Valentine’s Day.

It’s a holiday celebrating love and romance; the whole point is to shower someone with affection (and hopefully get laid at the end of the night). What’s not to like about that?

With girls, Valentine’s was easy. Big box of chocolates, a dozen red roses, dinner at a fancy restaurant (and maybe a little jewelry or something - depending on how much he likes her). A sweet card, for sure.

Now that he’s dating Eddie, Valentine’s Day presents more of a… challenge. 

“Ugh, what am I gonna do Rob? We walked through the greeting card aisle at Melvald’s and he pretended to puke. He doesn’t want flowers or chocolate or anything.”

He knows he’s whining. He’s slumped dramatically in the single office chair in the Family Video breakroom, spinning slowly (like a pathetic little rotisserie chicken, according to Robin). He’s probably got about five more minutes before Robin snaps.

“Why do you have to do anything? You know Valentine’s Day isn’t even a real holiday – it’s just an excuse to get people to spend money on crap they don’t need…”

“Oh my god, stop! You sound just like Eddie. Valentine's isn't about spending money, it's about... showing people that you love them. Making them feel happy and appreciated and special. It’s about celebrating love.”

Robin tilts her head and her face goes a little soft, the way it does when he says something she wasn't expecting (but in a good way, not like when he says something so dumb that her body collapses and she says he's obliterated her will to live). 

"That’s actually surprisingly sweet Steve. Okay….” she sighs and looks up at the ceiling as she thinks. “Maybe... you could try making something? He liked those cookies you baked for movie night." 

“Those cookies were terrible.” Practically inedible. Eddie was the only person that ate more than one. (Which was either a true declaration of love in and of itself, or proof that Eddie will eat literally anything when he's stoned.) 

"I don't know, Eddie is pretty easy to please. You could give him like... a cool rock, and he would probably love it." 

Steve sits upright so fast he nearly overturns the chair. "Robin, you're a genius!!" 

She blinks at him. "Clearly. But also, why exactly?" 

Eddie is like a crow. He's forever picking up little odds and ends - cool rocks, stickers, shiny bits of paper. At Christmas, he collected the bows off of everyone's presents. Sometimes, he incorporates the stuff he finds into little props and models for his D&D games, but other times he just keeps it. He's got a whole drawer devoted to his little 'hoard', as he calls it. 

Steve explains all this to Robin, who just shakes her head in bemusement. "He is so weird," she says fondly. 

"Yeah," Steve agrees. He would have recoiled from that oddity in high school - would have been worried what other people would think. Scared they would judge him for associating with someone like that. 

He doesn’t give a shit, these days. He sees the way Eddie lights up with happiness at the smallest things, so full of excitement and passion, and it just makes him smile. He feels grateful that he gets to bask in that reflected joy, like a flower soaking up the sun.

Valentines is two weeks away, which gives Steve plenty of time to collect a bounty of little treasures. He hits the pawn shop, the thrift store - he even drives out to the weird antique shop about an hour out of town, which looks like a normal house on the outside and is crammed to the rafters with knick-knacks and bric-a-brac when you walk inside. 

He also trawls the quarry, the lake, and the woods behind his house. It's tough, because usually Eddie's little treasures just look like trash to Steve. He's not a very creative person himself, but he tries hard to see the world the way his boyfriend would. 

If that means Steve finds himself debating for over half an hour on which rock is more appealing, well – it will all be worth it in the end.

———

Steve stays over at Eddie's, the night before Valentines. (At this point, he spends more time at the Munson's house than he does at his own.) 

He wakes up early, slipping out of bed with slow, careful movements. As usual, Eddie rolls over with a faint grumble, bundling himself into a burrito of blankets to compensate for the void of warmth left by Steve's absence. 

He moves down the hall, avoiding each creaky board like it's a booby trap in the Temple of Doom, until he reaches the kitchen - which is where Steve breaks routine. He sneaks out the back door and races across the driveway in his boxers, hopping and cursing as the frigid gravel stings his bare feet. 

His carefully cultivated stash of gifts is in the glove compartment of the BMW. He already has a plan for which one will be first, so he grabs it and closes the door (slowly, slowly - the sound of Steve moving around the house is familiar, but a car door slamming in the driveway at this time of morning would wake Eddie for sure). 

The first gift is a blue jay feather he found in the woods, perfect and clean with vivid blue and black stripes. He tucks it carefully under the edge of the ash tray that sits on the porch railing, before slipping back inside to start breakfast.

Thirty minutes later Eddie appears, drawn by the warm smell of coffee and the sound of bacon popping in the pan. 

He drapes himself over Steve's back and murmurs, "G'mornin," sleepily into the shell of his ear, the way he does every morning after Steve spends the night. This time, Steve balances his spatula on the edge of the pan and turns so that he can wrap his arms around his boyfriend’s waist. 

He presses a cheerful kiss to the corner of Eddie's mouth and says, "Happy Valentine’s Day." 

Eddie groans dramatically and throws his head back, the rest of his bodyweight following. If Steve didn't have a firm grip around his waist, he would have toppled over backward; the move turns into an awkward backbend instead. 

"Stevie please, it's too early for that crap. Wait until I've had my coffee at least." 

Steve grins. He releases his hold just long enough for Eddie to yelp and scrabble for balance before catching him and pulling him close again. 

"Jesus Christ," Eddie gasps. 

"Careful," Steve says with a smug grin, laughing when Eddie shoves him in the chest and pulls away.

They eat breakfast together, and then Steve follows Eddie outside for his morning cigarette. 

"Holy shit, look at this!" Eddie turns to Steve with the blue jay feather pinched between his fingers, grinning with delight. He hasn't brushed his hair yet and he's got a smear of bacon grease on his cheek, but he's so beautiful in that moment - so full of joy it shines out of him, like a lighthouse.

Just because he found a feather. Steve smiles back, helplessly besotted. "Pretty cool." 

Eddie twirls the feather between his fingers before tucking it behind his ear. “That’s a sign that today is gonna be a good day.”

Steve presses his mouth to the edge of his coffee cup to hide his expression. “Yeah, I think so too.”

———

Eddie rolls into the Family Video parking lot around 2 in the afternoon to visit before his band practice. He strolls inside and leans against the counter, plonking a silver wrapped Hershey kiss down in front of Steve. 

“Kiss for a kiss?” he says, with a smarmy grin. Steve rolls his eyes, but he checks to make sure they’re alone in the store before swooping forward for a quick peck on the lips.

“I got you something too,” he says.

“Oh?” Eddie raises one eyebrow, managing to look both curious and skeptical. “Please tell me it’s not a cheesy greeting card.”

Steve flips him the bird before reaching into his pocket. He pulls the keychain out and lets it dangle from one finger in front of Eddie’s face.

His boyfriend’s immediate reaction is to wrinkle his nose in disgust. The keychain is a garish red plastic heart, definitely the antithesis of Eddie’s usual metalhead vibe.

But it’s also sparkly. 

Steve’s lips curl into a satisfied smirk as Eddie takes the keychain from him, reluctantly admiring the way light sparks off the flakes of holographic glitter embedded in the plastic. The cheap little thing shimmers like a ruby in the afternoon sun.

“Some kid dropped it. They never came back, so it’s yours if you want it.” (That’s technically true, although Steve has been holding on to it for nearly a month now, waiting for today.)

“Oh, well then.” Eddie stuffs the keychain into his pocket. “Finders keepers, losers weepers!” He sticks his tongue out, eyes wide and exaggerated – then leans across the counter and licks Steve’s nose.

“Gross!” Steve sputters with laughter. He scrubs at his face and looks up just in time to see Eddie wave jauntily on his way out the door, a second Hershey kiss left sitting on the counter in his wake.

———

After Steve's shift is over, he runs home for a quick shower and a change of clothes before meeting Eddie at the diner. 

He did his best to talk his boyfriend into going on a proper date, but the most he could get Eddie to agree to was milkshakes and a movie (my choice Stevie, not some lame romance).

Steve walks into the diner and spots Eddie at the back booth. He saunters over and sets the third present onto the sticky Formica table with a click. It's a small golden gear, nearly paper-thin. 

"Check it out. Found this in the parking lot." 

(That's a lie. Steve carefully picked apart a broken old watch from the thrift shop in order to extract a handful of the little gears.)

"Hey, cool! I bet I could use this in the model I'm working on." Eddie pulls the pack of cigarettes out of his coat pocket and drops the gear inside for safe keeping. 

"What's the model for?" Steve asks.

Eddie launches into an animated explanation of the character he's creating for a new Hellfire campaign - a sun-worshiping priest that intends to trick the party into becoming a ritual sacrifice. 

"... and that gear thing would look pretty good on the top of his staff." 

Steve doesn't understand much of what Eddie's saying, but he loves the way his boyfriend talks with his whole body, moving his hands and shoulders and head along with the words. He rests his chin in his hand and lets Eddie ramble until the milkshakes arrive, smiling like a dope the whole time.

Eddie has no concept of time, so Steve is in charge of making sure they finish their milkshakes and leave the diner in time to make it to the movie. As Eddie slides into the passenger seat of the BMW, he says, “Hey – you think we have enough time to stop by the Circle K?”

Steve turns in his seat as he reverses out of the parking lot. "What do you need at the Circle K?" 

"Snacks! You can't go to a movie without provisions Stevie! And don't say we can buy some at the concessions stand, because the prices they charge are ridiculous."

“Well if we stop now, we’ll be late – but I’ve got some Milk Duds and trail mix…” Steve doesn’t realize what’s happening until it’s too late. Eddie pops open the glove compartment in his search for snacks, revealing Steve’s little stash of gifts. 

Eddie frowns in confusion. “What the hell?” He rifles through the pile as Steve groans.

“Shit. You weren’t supposed to see those yet.”

“What is all this?” Eddie picks up a ring, turning it over in his hands. It's a bulky silver biker ring, like the ones Eddie wears every day - only this one is shaped like a bat with tiny ruby eyes. Steve is particularly proud of that one, discovered in a box of assorted rings at the pawn shop.

Steve gnaws at his lip and runs a hand through his hair, ruining all his careful styling. "I know you hate Valentines, but I wanted to do something. Just… to show you how much I love you. So instead of the cards and flowers and stuff, I tried to find little things you might actually like. For your, you know… your 'dragon hoard' or whatever you call it."

"So the keychain and the gear..."

"And the feather."

Eddie's eyebrow twitches. He stares at the contents of the glove compartment; at the water smoothed stone from the lake and the multicolored twist of ribbon, the vivid green marble and the tiny mother of pearl locket. He looks down at the ring still clutched in his hand, and blinks rapidly. 

Steve glances nervously between Eddie and the road, hands tight on the steering wheel. He's disappointed that the surprise has been ruined, but more concerned about Eddie's reaction. He'd expected the other boy to laugh or tease him, not this... whatever this is. 

Finally, Eddie clears his throat roughly and speaks. "Actually, can we just head back to my place? I've got something I wanna show you, and I don't think I can wait through the movie." 

“Uh… sure.”

Steve's brain is buzzing as he takes a left instead of a right at the intersection. He's worked himself into a bit of a panic by the time they pull into the Munson's driveway. "Eddie, I..." 

Eddie interrupts him, practically throwing himself across the center console as he drags Steve into a fierce kiss. By the time Eddie lets him go, Steve is panting. "Wha...?" 

"Wait here," Eddie says with a wild grin. He presses Steve back into the seat for emphasis. "Don't move." 

He takes the steps up the porch two at a time and fumbles with his key to get inside as Steve watches in a daze. He has no idea what's going on. 

After a few minutes, Eddie returns to the door. He's pulled on a t-shirt with a faux tuxedo printed on the front, and he's standing straight backed in the doorway with a towel over his arm, like some kind of maître d’. He waves grandly toward Steve, beckoning him toward the house. 

Steve snorts with laughter as he climbs out of the BMW. “What are you doing?” 

"This way sir," Eddie replies in a terrible attempt at a posh English accent. Steve shakes his head, thoroughly bewildered and increasingly amused. 

He walks past Eddie through the doorway and freezes in surprise.

The living room has been transformed. Eddie set up the gaming table in the middle of the room – set with a crisp white tablecloth, the Munson’s best dishes, and a vase full of red roses sitting in the center of the table, flanked by two candles. More candles twinkle softly from the coffee table, the end tables - even on top of the tv. 

"Eddie..." Steve whispers in awe. "What is this?" 

"Well, ah... I kind of jumped the gun a little. It’s supposed to be a candlelight dinner. If we'd gone to the movie, Wayne would have had time to get all the food set up. But it won’t take long, I already cooked everything. Just gotta heat it up."

Steve’s vision goes watery, smearing the candlelight into one big blur as tears fill his eyes. He blinks hard to clear them. “I thought you hated all this stuff.”

Eddie shrugs and rubs the back of his neck nervously. “Well, yeah I do. But you love it. So I wanted to surprise you.”

Steve grips his boyfriend by the front of his ridiculous t-shirt and pulls him into a bone-cracking hug, before pulling back just far enough to kiss the breath from him. 

In a pause between kisses, Steve rests his forehead against Eddie’s and laughs a little breathlessly. “What made you change your mind about the movie?”

Eddie bites his lips, already swollen from kisses. Steve can’t tear his eyes away.

“I don’t know. When I saw all that stuff you collected for me…” he clears his throat, staring at Steve with wide dark eyes. “I’m… I know I’m weird. I’ve known that my whole life. I never thought I would find anyone that would tolerate me, let alone… celebrate me like that.”

He kisses Steve again, sweet and soft. “I couldn’t sit and wait for two hours after that. I had to get you home and show you how much I love you.”

“I love you too.” Steve smiles against Eddie’s mouth. “You know… I’m not really hungry yet.”

“Oh yeah?”

Steve trails his hands down Eddie’s chest, hooking his fingers into the belt loops of his jeans and tugging. “Mm-hmm. I think we need to work up an appetite first.”

Eddie laughs in delight. “Sounds like a good idea. You know how much I like dessert before dinner.”

A happy Valentine’s Day indeed.

[heymacy]

joy list? joy list ✨

i was tagged by @squidyyy23, @heymrspatel, @creepkinginc, @energievie, @mishervellous, @milkoviched, @deathclassic, @smokey-mickey, @ardent-fox, and @metalheadmickey — please, take this 🤲🏻🌟 it’s my eternal love and affection 🥹

iced vanilla chai tea lattes

when one of my plants puts out a new leaf 🌱

my incredible therapist 🧠

healing

lights off, lamps on 💡

fluffy towels fresh from the dryer

4am when the world is quiet

writing YQHBR ✏️

the thrift store knick-knack aisle

handmade gifts and handwritten letters 💌

scalding hot showers

“this made me think of you” 🥺

savior complex by phoebe bridgers

radical acceptance 🧘🏻‍♀️

when cats fall asleep on their backs

the devil’s lettuce 🍃

garden gnomes

my wife

my friends

all of you ✨

i’m tagging @gardenerian, @iansfreckles, @greggster, @whatwouldmickeydo, @howlinchickhowl, @gallawitchxx, @sunoficarus, @sluttymickey, @vintagelacerosette, @sickness-health-all-that-shit, @sleepyfacetoughguy, @milkovetti, @milkovski, @arrowflier, @ianandmickeygallavich, @captainjowl, @siccasvibin, and @themilkoviches 💛

[chrispy-pancakes]

Thrift Town

The day I worked up the courage to ask Janice for her number she was working the night shift at the corner thrift store. A close friend of mine convinced me to start shopping thrift after flaunting his cool vintage knick knacks. One Sunday morning while browsing the toy section I had stumbled upon an old Luke Skywalker action figure from Episode IV: A New Hope still in its original boxing. Blown out of my mind, speechless, staring down at Luke, Janice creeps up behind me looking as cute as can be asking, “big Star Wars fan eh?”. There are no words to describe, even until this day, how lucky I felt to be talking to such a gorgeous human being. Anxiety taking over I could only manage to mutter back, “yes”. We stared at one another for what seemed like a lifetime until Janice smiled curiously and at walked away. Days to come I wanted to shoot myself in the foot for not saying more than YES. For fuck sakes I could have responded a hundred different ways and I chose one out of two basic words to reply with. Weeks later I became a regular customer at Thrift Town. Although, I had not seen Janice around after a few visits I had it in my mind that I wouldn’t give up. By chance, It was a friday night, my shift had just ended and I decided to drop by the thrift store on my way home, Janice was working. Pulling up to the store I could see her walking around the store through the front windows. I didn’t want to come off as a creep so when I stepped inside the store I walked towards the opposite end of Janice. Surprisingly, she noticed me walking in and smiles at me but in a WELCOME TO THRIFT TOWN sort of way. At first I was confused as to whether or not she was smiling at me because she remembered me or it was her job to be overly polite to customers. Either way she was headed in my direction so naturally I panic and stop walking where I stood. Janice taps me on the shoulder asking, “are you shopping for a girlfriend?”. Instantly blood rushes to my head turning my face an apple red. I hadn’t realized I was standing in the women’s clothing area. Hesitantly, awkwardly smiling, I say, “oh no, I didn’t realize what section I was in.” Janice chuckles sweetly easing my anxiety. After Janice breaking the ice we continue to walk around the store talking until worked up the courage to ask Janice for her number. It was great, everything happened like I pictured it in my head. Soon enough we were texting daily which lead to going out for coffee which then turned into dates to the movies, restaurants, bookstores. After weeks of hanging out we decided out of the blue that we liked one another’s company so we started we made it official and started dating. Janice had turned my life around and everyday my feelings for her were growing beginning the first day she walked up to me in the toy aisle of Thrift Town.

The first time I met John I was working the floor shift at Thrift Town. He was wandering the store aimlessly, which is not abnormal for a thrift store, but something about Tom made me curious to meet him. Honestly, my first impression of him was sad and depressing, I sort of felt bad for him. When I walked up to Tom in the toy section he was holding a Luke Skywalker action figure so I had asked him if he was a Star Wars fan. I may have surprised him or something because it took what seemed like forever for him to respond. He was just staring at me with a blank look on his face that was creeping me out. When Tom finally replied I think he said that he was a Star Wars fan. He said it too low I could barely make out exactly what he said. Trying to think of what he just said without asking we both stared at each other awkwardly for way too long it was a little concerning. To break the awkwardness I walked in the opposite direction slowly until I saw a pile of clothes on the floor needing to be sorted. Three weeks later I had just made it back to work from using up all my vacation time mostly sleeping in and watching t.v. It was a typical Friday night, nobody coming into the store since there are better things to do on a Friday night than going to the thrift store. Well that goes for the average person at lease and not to my surprise Tom walks in while I was making my aisle runs. My first instinct was to avoid him after the turnout of our first meeting. Then I thought what the heck lets see what fun I stir up from the boredom lingering around the place. as soon as he looks over at me I smiled at him and walked over to him. Tom was acting like he didn’t notice me and turns his back facing me. While I was walking over to Tom he gave me this look of confusion and looked behind both of hiss shoulders as though confused I was looking at him. Tom was a total goofball back then. As I reached closer to him I noticed he was in the women's wear section so I automatically assume he had a girlfriend. Then I noticed he didn’t look like he knew what he was looking for, or anything at all for that matter. Turns out he was just using his peripherals to see if I was walking over to him. Arriving at his back I tap him on the shoulder and as he turns to face me he was my favorite color, cherry red. Tom was very nervous and I am pretty sure I made matters worse by asking him if he was shopping for his girlfriend. Tom was not the kind of guy I would go for normally but something about him was attractive this time around. After walking around aimlessly talking about Star Wars and other nerdy topics Tom asked for my number. At first I didn’t want to give him my number but I felt like he was harmless enough so i gave it to him anyways. Plus, unlike other guys Tom got to know me a little before asking which was a nice change of pace. He texts me about a week later and it doesn’t take long for it to become routine. Guys always do that, they text you for so long and forget about asking you out on a date. If Tom hadn’t asked me out for coffee at the time he did we wouldn’t be talking now cause I lost interest way before he asked. We went out for coffee and sure enough I sink right back into whatever it was that attracted me to Tom. We start hanging out more and more until Tom started acting weird. He started smiling at me uncontrollably and texted me randomly about how lucky he was to have a person like me in his life. It was nice having company all the time but I think Tom was getting the wrong idea, I even think he assumed we were dating. Not that I didn’t like Tom but he was making it way too easy. There was no flare with us, no spontaneity. He must have been crushed the days that followed me no longer returning his texts or his phone calls.  

Tom and Janice started out building something nice. Although, their ideas of what a relationship consist of clashed in the end the both of them could not neglect the connection that had formed between them. Janice may have been the one reluctant to get fully involved with Tom but in her defense Tom was starting to get clingy. It is general knowledge that clingy people are the worst. Shortly after they parted ways Tom went through the biggest depression in his life. Janice on the other hand met someone else the day after she decided to ghost Tom. Anthony was his name. Janice will forever regret that she let Tom get away. Just like with Tom and Janice’s relationship Anthony walked into Thrift Town and swooped Janice right off her feet. Anthony was the typical guy Janice went for. He was toned and was up to date with hairstyles and the latest fashion. Ant, as Janice would later learn to call him, was an abusive alcoholic. Janice learned to love Anthony with flaws and all never able to get Tom out of mind. Tom became a saint she would turn to on the nights Anthony would be at his worse. Years later Tom and Janice would meet again at the local grocery store. Janice will be holding a pack of beer and Tom the hand of a beautiful woman. It was at this point in Janice’s life when she accepted her fate. Janice had always hoped she would run into Tom again, maybe share a conversation about Star Wars or Thrift Town. Maybe all Janice wanted was to spend some quality time with anyone else and have a quite conversation. Janice was not bothered by her situation and what could have. To Janice, life was a bunch of choices you have to make and one slip you are in shit. It was the last time Tom and Janice would ever see each other never to find out what became of one another. Eventually, Tom did go to back to the Thrift Town and asked a cashier about Janice. The cashier had no clue who he was talking about and Tom was fine knowing he tried and left Thrift Town for the last time. 

[blogsteveclark12]

Top 10 Thrifting Tips: Finding Treasures at the Thrift Stores

Gone are the days when thrifting at thrift stores in Panama City Beach, FL is considered gross. Nowadays, thrifting is actually considered a cool thing to do.

Let’s be real, what is cooler than finding a cute dress or a unique pair of shoes for a couple of dollars?

Yes, most likely 99.9% of the items of clothing and accessories you will come across at the thrift store is used – but that’s why there are washing machines.

I personally used to think that buying people’s used clothing to wear was absolutely atrocious, but then I thought,

Okay, I literally donate my used clothing to the Salvation Army and there is nothing wrong with my clothes. I just don’t like them anymore. So I shouldn’t be so weirded out about buying clothes at the thrift store cause people probably donate them for the same exact reason I do.

It was mind breaking!

Okay, so your first time visiting a thrift store can be overwhelming. Racks of clothing, shelves of shoes, and retro CDS and records that you probably do not need are at the very back corner of the store. Knick-knacks line the homeware shelves and while your mission is to come out with some great clothing finds, there are so many potential treasures at the store you do not know where to start.

I Have Compiled What I Consider the Top 10 Tips for Successful Thrifting:

Less is More

If you are used to carrying a purse or carryall bag around, swap it for a crossbody or more shopping friendly bag. I always have a mini backpack on when I am shopping at the thrift store. There is no need for your purse or bag to get in your way as you are making your way through the jam-packed aisles of clothes.

Dress Comfortably

This may seem like common sense, but the last thing you want is for your feet to be sore because you opted for the stylish yet impractical heels. Gym shoes are your best friend because more than likely you will be making a couple of rounds through the store. Stores, in general, seem to either be too hot or too chilly, so try to dress in layers so you can accommodate to the temps.

Take Your Time

One of the biggest tips is to be patient. Sometimes people say they cannot find a single item at the thrift store. It may take a few walks around the store until you find something that catches your eye. In order to find very good things, you need to be willing to look for it.

Do not expect to spend ten minutes at the thrift store. Be prepared to spend at least 45 minutes in order to make your way through the entire store.

Keep Your Eyes Open

Stores bring out racks of clothing to be put out on the floor. Try to be the first one at the racks because you will get first pick. Plus, it is way easier to sift through a rack than the entire store. Just make sure you are not standing in the way of the employee responsible for transferring the clothes on the rack to the main aisles.

Know Your Colors

Goodwill and Salvation Army have their items organized by different colored tags. There are the color of the day/week sales where merchandise tagged a specific color is 50% off.

Additional Discounts

Most stores offer senior, teacher, military, and student discounts that typically allow you to save at least 10% off your entire purchase. (Note: Goodwill no longer seems to offer a teacher discount).

Make sure to also ask employees about seasonal/holiday sales, birthday discounts, and rewards memberships – some thrift stores do offer those!

Have a Budget

Perhaps the best thing about finding unique and vintage items at the thrift store is that they are marked down at a fraction of the price they were originally sold. That being said, it can be easy to pile your cart sky high with affordable items.

But take a step back and ask yourself if you truly need three 80s inspired tees, five pairs of shoes, and ten cute tops. By setting a budget (i.e. $10, $20, $50) you are a smart shopper and will be more likely to get more bang for your buck.

Inspect

Not everything you encounter at the thrift store is exciting. Some things may be stained or have a hole in them. Make sure to carefully inspect the items you have in your hands before putting them in your cart, and thoroughly inspect them before heading to check out.

Where a thrift store is located will determine what kind of things you will find.

For example, thrift stores in cities may have a larger selection of vintage tees, where stores at affluent neighborhoods will have a larger selection of brand name items. So shop around for variety. Make a list of all the thrift stores you want to hit up. Invite some friends – make a day out of it.

Make a List

Try to have an idea of what you are looking for. You can jot down a list of a few things you are hoping to find, that way you know where to start once you are in the store. If I have a mental list of things I hope to find (i.e. black skinny jeans, work blouses), then I can prioritize checking out the pants and blouses aisles first and not get distracted by the dresses and accessories.

After I visit my priority aisles, then I can go back and check the dresses aisle and the rest of the store to see what fun finds and unexpected treasures await me.

Bonus Thrifting Tip: Shop on Weekdays

Try as much as possible to avoid shopping on the weekends. Saturday morning may be the most convenient time for you to hit up the thrift store, but more than likely it is the best time for everyone else.

From personal experience, the stores are packed on Saturdays because pretty much everyone is off work and free to spend their day thrifting.

Try your best to visit the store after work on a weekday. There will be fewer people so you can peruse through the store.

Most stores also mark down their items or start sales on weekdays, so you also have a better chance of scoring good deals and great finds on the weekdays.

Thrifting has its up and downs, like any other shopping experience – don’t forget to keep that in mind.